1. Field of the Invention
This invention to the general field of incontinence products. In particular, it provides a new and improved diaper for incontinent males who, because of disabilities, are unable to care for themselves and require assistance for their hygienic needs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Incontinence pads, diapers and other garments have been used for many years to alleviate the practical and hygienic problems encountered by people suffering from that condition. These products vary from the traditional baby diapers in the fact that they are designed for adults, often incapacitated and bed-ridden, and therefore require greater capacity of absorption and lower propensity to cause skin irritation.
Normally, these diapers have one or more inner layers of absorbent material contained in an outer layer of waterproof fabric, so that liquid voided by the patient is retained by the diaper and prevented from leaking outside the areas of contact with his or her body. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,316 to Damico (1985) shows a diaper with a complicated support system to improve containment and avoid discharges outside the area protected by it.
Because of the contact between a patient's skin and wet material, skin irritation and rashes are a severe common problem for people who need continuous protection from incontinence discharges. In order to minimize this problem, garments have been developed with the specific purpose of rapidly absorbing the urine voided by the wearer, thus limiting its spreading to surrounding areas. This is achieved by various means of increasing the absorption capacity of the diaper in the area immediately surrounding the wearer's genitalia.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,051 to Hanson (1985) illustrates a diaper for incontinent adults. It includes a modification specifically for males consisting of a pouch to receive and enclose the penis in order to direct the urine to a most absorbent and self-contained portion of the diaper. This prevents spreading of the wetness to other areas of the diaper and, possibly, it will help containment and prevent leaks to peripheral parts of the body as well. The purpose of the pouch is to keep the male genitalia in place during use and thus maintain direct proximity with the most absorbent portions of the diaper for optimal efficiency.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,584 to Johnson (1975) describes a traditional baby diaper that includes an exterior attachment for urine collection and disposal. The penis is inserted into the attachment, which is shaped like a cylindrical container, through an opening in the diaper; thus, the diaper remains dry while the urine is absorbed into the container alone. When saturated, the container can be replaced without changing the diaper. The result is that an entire new diaper need not be used unless a bowel movement has also occurred.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,716 (1986), Smith describes a sanitary pouch for male use only, conceived to absorb secretions and post-urination wetness. Although intended for healthy males and not as a prosthetic for incontinence, this invention involves the idea of an absorbent and protective pocket for male adults.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,846 (1986), Ternstrom shows a similar type of pouch, but for incontinent men. It is designed to slide under the scrotum and penis and enclose both to receive urine voided by the patient. The invention is directed to men whose incontinence is limited to urine, so that an entire diaper would not be necessary for protection.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,012 (1987) to Rooyakkers teaches a method for making yet another pouch-type absorbent diaper for incontinent males. The material is shaped to form a cup that covers the genitalia and allows air circulation to maintain skin dryness. The cup is kept in place by regular underwear against the body of the wearer.
As indicated, the incontinence diapers described in the prior art tend to cause skin irritation to the patient. In addition, they are cumbersome to use because of the difficulty involved in discretely and yet effectively handling a patient's genitalia during a diaper change.